


Safe in my arms

by October_rust



Category: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 18:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12086613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/October_rust/pseuds/October_rust
Summary: Jason and Dick mend their relationship some more. Inspired by RHatO Rebirth Annual.





	Safe in my arms

Moonlight streamed in through the tall window; otherwise, the room was dark and quiet. 

Dick crept on silent feet, his gaze focused on the bed in the centre. 

As he drew closer, he noticed the neatly folded clothes on one of the chairs, the dark shape of the helmet resting on the bedside table.

His lips quirked up in a smile. 

Jason had always been the tidy one, even as a kid. Some things clearly hadn't changed. 

Others, though ...

His eyes flicked to the bed.

Jason was sprawled on his back, naked chest rising with deep, calm breaths, the sheets bunched up around his waist. Dick glanced up at Jason's face, serene in the soft glow of the moonlight, and thought about the boy he'd met all those years ago: the mop of unruly black hair, slim, coltish limbs clad in bright Robin colors, and big blue eyes that grew even bigger with surprise and outrage when Jason had found Dick sleeping in his bed.

Well, that had been a pretty explosive start of their relationship.

Soundlessly, his movements fluid, Dick sat next to Jason, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight.

Jason slept on, oblivious, and Dick felt a pang of tenderness. Even after all that had happened, the Joker and the crowbar, the Lazarus Pit, the murderous rage, and now, finally, the uneasy truce, some part of Jason still considered the Wayne Manor his home, a place where he felt safe.

He reached out and smoothed a lock of hair from Jason's forehead, the black strands soft under his fingertips.

And then strong fingers closed around his wrist in a vise-like grip, and yanked hard enough to topple him over.

Before he could catch himself, he was flipped onto his back, all breath driven from his lungs in a harsh gasp as a thick forearm wedged under his chin.

Jason loomed over him, his heavy body pinning Dick down, eyes still hazy with sleep.

“Dick?” He said, blinking in confusion. “What the hell?”

The last wisps of the dream evaporated, and Jason's gaze widened in horror as he took in their position, his own nakedness, and the fact that Dick was wearing only boxers. With a curse, he rolled off Dick and quickly pulled the sheets over his hips. 

The moonlight was bright enough that Dick could clearly see the dark flush suffusing Jason's cheeks.

“Sorry, Jay,” he said, leaning against the headboard. “Didn't mean to startle you.”

Jason sent him a sour look. “What exactly did you think would happen when you decided to creep into my room, Dickface?” He rubbed at his forehead, sighed. “It's your revenge for that night years ago, isn't it?”

“No,” Dick denied, then thought for a moment. “Well, maybe a little.”

“Living up to your name, I see.”

“Very funny.” Dick stared at Jason for a long moment, then lowered his gaze. “Couldn't sleep.”

“So you had the brilliant idea to pester me instead?” Jason raised an eyebrow. ”Gee, thanks a lot.”

“Couldn't sleep,” Dick trudged on. “Couldn't stop thinking about you. About what you did.” He looked Jason in the eye. “You saved my life today.” He paused, bit his lip. “Thank you.” 

It was Jason's turn to look away. “It wasn't me. Artemis and Bizarro ...”

“It was you,” Dick cut in. “You pushed me away from the path of that bullet, Jay.”

Silence.

“You fought well today, Jay,” Dick said, voice soft. “You, Artemis, and Bizarro. It's good to have you with us on this case.”

“They are great teammates,” Jason agreed reluctantly. “And great friends.” He cleared his throat, still not meeting Dick's eyes, his shoulders tense. “Look, once this is over, we'll be out of the manor and your and B's hair, okay? No need to make this any more awkward than it already is.”

Glossing over the whole “saving Dick's life” thing, of course, like it had been nothing. Watching Jason, Dick was reminded of the first time he'd worked together with the Outlaws, and how flustered Jason had been when he'd asked for Dick's help, stumbling over the words, his posture all defensive.

The same clumsy dance all over again. 

And this wouldn't do, at all.

“Oh, Jay.”

Jason looked up at that, surprised by the exasperation in Dick's voice. But Dick didn't give him the chance to say anything; he simply shuffled closer, holding Jason's gaze all the time, and then, slowly, carefully, reached out and touched Jason's face.

Such a simple brush of fingers, but Jason froze, eyes full of barely concealed panic. Dick smoothed his thumb over a sharp cheekbone, his other arm winding around Jason's waist. One small tug, and, with a weary sigh, resistance melting, Jason let himself be pulled into the embrace, his head coming to rest on Dick's chest.

“You had to make it awkward, Dickface,” Jason whispered, his breath ghosting over Dick's skin.

“Just followed that advice that Artemis gave us. You know, about acting like adults.” Dick buried his fingers in the thick waves of Jason's hair. “Stop trying to push me away, Jay. It's not working.”

“I ...” Jason trailed off. “I have no right to this. Whatever it is you're doing right now.”

“It? You mean holding you?”

“More like trying to tear my hair out and make me bald.” But Jason didn't try to draw away from Dick's touch. “This … Hell, I tried to kill you, Dick. Gave you the scars.” His fingers skimmed over Dick's side.

Dick simply tightened his arm around Jason. “And I failed you. When you needed me the most, I wasn't there for you. So enough with that.” He stroked Jason's hair, the movement of his hand slow and measured. “Just let me hold you, Jay.”

“Sappy asshole.” He felt Jason snort against his chest.

They fell silent, cocooned in the stillness of the night. Somewhere in the depths of the manor, the old grandfather clock chimed the passing of another hour. It was so peaceful, Jason's body warm and yielding against his own, accepting his touch with ease, that Dick was sure that Jason had drifted off to sleep again.

But then, tentative fingers slid down to the small of his back. 

“I saw you, you know,” Jason murmured, his voice small, barely audible. “At the circus, with your parents.” He hesitated, took in a breath, and then the words were tumbling out of him, low and wistful. “It was like magic. Like you were floating through the air, weightless. Like you were never going to stop, just fly like that, forever.” His hand trailed to Dick's hip. “And you were the brightest, the most beautiful thing I had seen back then. I wanted to be you so badly.”

Stunned, Dick looked down at Jason, at his own fingers threaded through the black hair, at the powerful line of Jason's back, now beginning to stiffen up with tension again. 

“Jay ...”

With shaking hands, he cradled Jason's face, felt the cheeks burn under his palms, felt the slight dampness in the corners of Jason's eyes.

“Jay.”

He tilted Jason's chin up, searched those stormy eyes, gleaming pale grey in the moonlight. So much apprehension and self-loathing, all of it raw and exposed. And because he couldn't stand it, his own heart twisting painfully at the sight of Jason's misery, he leaned down those last few inches and pressed his lips to Jason's brow.

It was all it took to cut Jason's mounting nervousness. With a long, shuddering sigh, he nuzzled into Dick's neck, his grip at Dick's hip tightening to the point of leaving bruises. 

But Dick didn't mind it; he kissed Jason's cheek, then the corner of Jason's mouth, and, finally, Jason's lips. 

The softness of Jason's mouth under his sobered him a little, sent a shiver down his spine. This was crossing the invisible line, and he shouldn't have done that, he knew it well. He cursed his own impulsiveness, ready to pull away, to apologize.

But Jason held him firm, not letting him escape, short nails digging into Dick's back. Surging up, he parted his lips for Dick, desperate and eager, as though afraid that Dick would end it too soon, turn it all into a joke. 

And Dick couldn't refuse that unspoken plea, couldn't resist how sweet the kiss tasted, how good it felt to have Jason like that, open and vulnerable, safe in the circle of his arms. He lost himself in the wave of emotions, in the heat of naked skin, in the sound of Jason's soft gasps.

When they parted for air, Jason gave him a crooked smile.

“Stay,” he whispered. 

Dick just gathered him back to his chest, and buried his face in Jason's hair.


End file.
